


Safe and Sound

by serenityabrin



Category: Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-19
Updated: 2016-11-19
Packaged: 2018-08-30 12:36:46
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,652
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8533324
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/serenityabrin/pseuds/serenityabrin
Summary: "I'm just trying to keep you alive!  Darned if I know why."





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [PunsBulletsAndPointyThings](https://archiveofourown.org/users/PunsBulletsAndPointyThings/gifts).



If asked what his purpose in life was, Boil would say it was what he was born and bred for: service in the Galactic Republic Army.  It wouldn't be a lie.  Boil was content with his role as soldier.  He couldn't ask to be part of a better unit than Ghost Company or to have better leadership than General Kenobi and Commander Cody.

 

However, in the privacy of his own heart, Boil knew that his real purpose in life was to keep Waxer safe.  A purpose Waxer seemed intent on testing at every possible opportunity.

 

"Get down!"

 

Grabbing Waxer's arm, he roughly tugged him down behind their makeshift barricade.  "Are you trying to get yourself killed?"

 

"I think I see the sniper," Waxer said, unperturbed by Boil's tone.

 

"Good for you.  That's not going to do anyone any good if he takes your head off."

 

Waxer ignored Boil's grumbles and used his wrist communicator to call in the sniper's location.  They did not have to wait long before the percussive sound of the heavy guns boomed in the distance and the building on the far side of the court disintegrated in a shower of dust and debris.

 

Naturally, Waxer popped his head up to see and Boil had to drag him back down.  "Wait a minute, will you?"

 

Boil didn't need to see behind Waxer's helmet to know his friend was rolling his eyes at him.  But, Waxer dutifully stayed low behind their defensive barricade as the dust settled.

 

The earlier blasts of laser fire had quieted but Boil still felt wary.  Keeping one hand on Waxer's elbow in case he had to pull him down again, Boil cautiously peeked his head over their small fortification.

 

The town remained as rundown and eerie as it had looked upon first inspection.  Everything was very still.  The sudden quiet made the hair on the back of Boil's neck stand up.

 

Finally letting go of Waxer, Boil gripped his gun tighter and warily climbed over their barricade.  His whole body was tense and ready for attack, but nothing happened.  Motioning to Waxer, Boil dashed to the dubious safety of a nearby wall.  Waxer was right behind him.

 

"I think they got him," Waxer said, cautiously peeking around Boil's shoulder to get a good look at the town square.

 

"Let's just be sure before we do anything rash."

 

Waxer let out an annoyed sigh but settled back against the wall.

 

Eyes sharp, Boil edged around the corner.  Waxer was a familiar warmth at his side as they shuffled along the wall.

 

At the far side of the town square, the remains of the newly bombed building had settled into a giant pile.  No one could survive the bombing, but Boil still felt on edge.  He crouched down as he dashed to the next piece of cover he could find.  The closer they moved to their target, the less cover there was to find.

 

"The signal stopped transmitting," Waxer said.  "I think we got him."

 

Looking around, the only movement was a torn awning flapping in the wind.  If the sniper was in one of the other buildings, he had ample time to pick them off.  Boil and Waxer were getting in range; the sniper would only be endangering himself at this point.

 

"Yeah, okay.  We probably took out the enemy transmission with the bomb but we'd better double-check to be sure," Boil said.

 

The two Clones slowly stood up straight but after a few seconds of silence, Waxer began to walk toward the bombed building.  They both remained alert but even Boil was pretty well convinced they'd managed to get the sniper.

 

He still looked around him, gun held tight and ready for action.  Just as they reached the center of the street, Boil caught a glint in an upper window.  He reacted instantly, lunging for Waxer and sending them both to the ground.  A blast of bright red scored the ground beside him, the sound of a rifle retort a distant noise above them.

 

Boil and Waxer wasted no time scrambling to their feet but the air was hot with gunfire, and it became clear that the sniper had waited for them to get out in the open before losing the element of surprise.

 

Immediately positioning himself between Waxer and the source of the shooting, Boil ran with him for cover.  He didn't even feel the pain of the laser bolt to his arm until they'd reached the dubious safety of an alleyway.

 

"Do you see him?" Waxer said.

 

Blasting blindly around the corner, Boil said, "No."  The sniper's return fire came hot and heavy.  Boil flinched back, slamming himself flat against the wall.  He hissed when the contact sent pain through his arm.

 

"You got hit!" Waxer grabbed Boil's forearm to see the wound.

 

Boil spared a glance to his arm.  "It's just a scratch.  We need to take out that sniper."

 

Waxer hesitated noticeably before letting Boil go.  Boil was sure he'd hear more about this later.

 

Peeking around the corner, Waxer said, "It's the left tower.  I'm sure this time."

 

"We're close enough to get a good shot now."

 

"Unfortunately, we can only pinpoint his location when he's shooting.  He'll shoot us down before we can get a clear shot," Waxer said.

 

Boil chanced his own glance toward the left tower.  It earned him another round of laser bolts.  "I'll act as bait then.  On my mark, I'll run and you take the shot."

 

"No, wait-"

 

Boil knew exactly what Waxer was going to say, but there was no way he was going to debate who was going to be in the line of fire.  He also knew that the best tactic to get his way was to plow through before Waxer could properly object.

 

"Now!"

 

Waxer's curses accompanied Boil as he dashed straight across the main road.  Laser fire sliced into the ground dangerously close to his feet but Boil did not go for the nearest cover he could find.  He wanted to give Waxer enough time to take the shot.

 

It was a very near thing in the end.  Boil dove for another alleyway, laser fire biting into the wall right where his head had been.

 

The sound of Republic issued firepower reverberated through the air.  Boil flipped onto his side and quickly got his feet under him to see how their plan had worked.

 

Waxer was positioned at the corner of the far alleyway, his gun trained on the left tower.  In the time Boil took to stand up, Waxer had shot off three quick blasts.

 

The enemy fire stopped but Boil wasn't calling victory yet.  It was just as likely that the sniper had merely ducked back out of range.

 

Turning his attention to Waxer, Boil lifted his wrist comm to figure out what their next move was.  Unfortunately, Waxer already had some ideas about that.  To Boil's consternation, Waxer used the brief lull to dash forward in the direction of the left tower.

 

"Waxer!" Of course Boil's shout did absolutely nothing to stop the other man.  Cursing under his breath, Boil glanced about him and then dashed forward on his side of the main street.

 

Leapfrogging from alley to alley, the two soldiers quickly made their way to the left tower.  The town was once again abnormally quiet, and Boil feared a trap.  It just made him that much more determined to catch up to Waxer before he did something stupid.

 

"Have you lost your mind?" Boil demanded as soon as he reached Waxer's side.  They were right at the base of the tower now with an overhang to protect them.

 

"Have you?" Waxer growled.  "You pull that mark-now shit again and I swear I'm going to lock you in the barracks 'fresher the next time we're called to duty."

 

Boil rolled his eyes but wisely decided not to continue the argument.  It never went anywhere anyway.  Instead, he focused on their new objective.  "Storming the building could be exactly what the sniper wants."

 

"Then I'm happy to oblige him," Waxer said.  "We've wasted enough time here.  The transmission signal is broadcasting again and we have to stop it."

 

Boil couldn't really argue with that, but he made sure that when they kicked down the door, raced up the stairs, and rushed into the room of the sniper's perch, he was always the one in front.

 

"Surrender!" Waxer yelled as they burst into the room.  There was no response.  Eyes quickly sweeping over the cluttered room, Boil spotted a body slumped near the window.  He trained his gun on it, still expecting the worst.

 

Cautiously, he approached closer.  "Don't try anything," he warned, although he began to suspect that might be unnecessary.  There was no movement.

 

Boil first kicked the sniper's foot and then poked him with the tip of his gun.  Finally, he felt confident enough to grab the sniper's head so he could pull it back and get a good look at him.

 

"Looks like you managed to get him straight in the heart," Boil said.  There was a blaster hole in the center of the sniper's chest.

 

"You don't have to sound so surprised," Waxer grumbled.

 

While Boil took one last look to make doubly sure their adversary was really dead, Waxer began to look around the room.

 

"The signal is definitely stronger here." Waxer moved a few crates and the remains of a chair to uncover a small console.  "Here it is."

 

Satisfied the sniper was truly dead, Boil wandered over to Waxer's side.  "Looks pretty small for a global communications system."

 

"It's just a relay.  We're no closer to stopping the transmission than when we started." Waxer yanked off his helmet in frustration.

 

"Is there some way to trace the source from this thing?" Boil asked.

 

Waxer shook his head.  "Nothing that the transmission itself hasn't already revealed."  He sighed, and moved over to the window to get a clear signal.

 

"Commander Cody, this is Waxer.  Come in."

 

"Commander Cody here.  Report."

 

"We've neutralized the sniper and uncovered the signal in this area but it's a secondary relay.  The primary transmission is not here."

 

There was a noticeable pause before their Commander replied.  "Very well.  We're still engaged with the main enemy force just south of a canyon."

 

While he spoke, Boil brought up a topographical map of the area so he could pinpoint where the rest of their unit was.

 

Cody continued, "There's no point in rejoining the auxiliary deployment.  Make your way to our position and scout for the transmission along the way."

 

"Copy that."

 

"The canyon is about a mile from here," Boil said, pointing to the location on the map.  "But the General is way over here.  We're going to have quite the hike."

 

"Then we best get you looked at," Waxer said.

 

Boil rolled his eyes.  "It's nothing.  Just a scratch."

 

"I'll be the judge of that."  There was no arguing with Waxer in this mood, so Boil let himself be tugged over to a desk where he could sit while Waxer pulled off the armor on his arm and pulled back his sleeve so he could look at the wound.

 

"See.  It's barely anything," Boil said.  It was a bad burn but nothing to slow him down.

 

"You take too many stupid chances." Waxer took out a small bacta-patch and carefully applied it to Boil's arm.  The wound was only an irritant but the cooling sensation of the bacta did feel nice.

 

"I'm not the one who thought the sniper was destroyed by the heavy guns," Boil said.

 

Waxer rolled his eyes.  "Oh, please.  You'd written him off too."

 

Having secured the bacta-patch, Waxer carefully rolled Boil's sleeve back over it and then helped him refasten his armor.  It was soothing to have Waxer close like this so Boil made no more protest.

 

Once he was all set, Boil took pleasure in shooting the transmission relay into a fiery tangle of wires before they finally made their way out of the town.

 

*******

 

 The canyon was a deep scar in the earth.  Boil had seen wider canyons on other planets but this one was impressively deep.

 

"Well, up or down?" Waxer said.  The road from the abandoned town had been on a gradual incline and they now found themselves on a footpath halfway up the canyon wall.

 

"Up, I suppose.  Better vantage point if there's something down there."

 

"Yeah.  I'd like to avoid any more high-elevation snipers too."

 

Behind the safety of his helmet, Boil made a face at his friend but he followed Waxer without comment.

 

They set off at a jog, and for awhile they could travel side-by-side.  The path continued to rise at a slight angle but they never got any closer to the top of the canyon.

 

"I wonder how deep this goes," Waxer said, looking over the edge of the path.  Following his gaze, Boil was surprised to see just how high up they were.

 

"I wonder how _long_ it goes.  How close are we to General Kenobi?" Boil asked.

 

Waxer looked at the holographic map.  "Still a ways."

 

"Are you still getting the transmission?  I don't see anything here on that front." Boil glanced up the imposing canyon wall.  He could just see the very top.  There was nothing manmade in the canyon itself -- nothing to broadcast an enemy signal.

 

Pressing a different button on his wrist, the map disappeared and was replaced with another holographic image.  Waxer said, "Hm, I think the signal is getting stronger but we're shielded from it here in the canyon.  Either that or we're moving away from it."

 

Boil sighed, and returned his focus to the path   While Waxer kept an eye on the transmission, Boil scanned the area for any sign of the enemy.  The canyon was about as quiet as the town, but that just kept Boil's guard up.

 

Slowly, the path began to meander as the canyon's formally straight course bent and contorted.  They no longer had a clear visual of what was in front of them.

 

"The signal's getting stronger." Waxer looked over his shoulder to where Boil had moved as the path narrowed.  "And we're getting closer to the others."

 

"Are they near the canyon?"

 

Waxer shook his head.  "Looks like the battle's centered on the factory to the south.  We should hear gunfire soon though."

 

"I'm surprised we haven't heard the heavy guns yet.  Surely, we're close enough for those," Boil said.

 

"What was the factory producing?  Maybe it's too dangerous to use them," Waxer said.

 

Boil tightened his grip on his gun.  "Well, whatever it is, we'd best keep a sharp eye now.  Knowing the General, he'll have the enemy on the run soon and we'll be right in their way."

 

"If they try to come our way, they've got a long way down before they're going to meet us." Waxer glanced to the other side of the canyon, beyond which were General Kenobi and the main battle.

 

Guessing his thoughts, Boil said, "We're going to have to find a way to the other side at some point."

 

"Yeah, and that's only getting more difficult as we go."

 

Waxer's observation was one Boil had been thinking about.  There was no path on the south side of the canyon.  While the canyon was still relatively narrow, it had been widening the further they went.  There hadn't been any kind of bridge or other means to get across, and Boil wasn't sure he'd bet his life on using cables in this kind of rock.

 

Without a word, both soldiers increased their speed as much as was safe given the narrowed path.  Boil trusted Waxer to lead them safely and to catch anything in front of them so he kept his attention above and to the south.

 

There was more to see now.  The smooth canyon walls had given way to jagged protrusions and the occasional debris pile.  Boil saw the telltale scarring of industry on the lip of the canyon.  He thought he saw the mouth of a pipe at one point but it was too far to be certain.

 

Engrossed in looking for evidence of civilization, Boil collided with Waxer when the other man stopped abruptly.  The path was narrow enough here to almost upend them over the edge but Boil managed to grab the rock wall and steady them.

 

"Why'd you stop?" Unsettled by the close call, Boil's question came out sharper than he meant it.

 

Waxer paid no attention to his tone.  An outcropping of rock jutted out into the path, and Waxer carefully peeked around this.  "I think I see lights and vents up ahead."  He pulled up his map.  "There's a building bridging the canyon.  It's straight north of the factory.  If we're getting close to that, then General Kenobi must not be far."

 

"And the enemy's probably still in control of the building," Boil said, understanding now why Waxer had stopped.

 

"If the battle goes badly for them, they'll probably retreat through the building and then blow it to slow down our own forces.  That's what I'd do."

 

Boil nodded.  "Should we chance contacting the Commander?  If the battle's close, we might want to stay put, but if it's not, we could use the building to get to the other side of the canyon and rejoin our own forces."

 

Pressing a button on his wrist communicator, Waxer studied the holographic image.  "The enemy signal is much stronger here.  It's causing quite a bit of interference."

 

"Could you boost the signal?"

 

"Maybe.  But . . . I think we'll give our position away if we call out, and I'd rather not do that just yet.  We might be able to do some good here.  We're technically behind enemy lines," Waxer said.

 

Knowing how Waxer thought, Boil said, "So, recon and a sneak attack then?"

 

Boil didn't need to see Waxer's face to know he was smiling.  "Any security measures the building has aren't likely to take into account two lone soldiers or this rather precarious path.  If those are air vents, then we might have a way inside."

 

"Yeah, but . . . let's not assume they didn't take into account this path, okay?" Boil said.

 

"You worry too much, Boil."

 

If the path had been a hair wider, Boil would've insisted they trade places so he could go first.  It wasn't practical so he bit his tongue and followed close behind as Waxer inched around the rocky protrusion and headed towards the vents in the distance.

 

They were further away than Boil was comfortable with, and he was only too aware how constricted their movement was.  There was only forward or backwards, and neither could be done quickly.

 

Glancing around, Boil could see that there were definitely pipes climbing along the canyon walls.  Some kind of metallic boxes were set into the rock far above them, but Boil couldn't tell what they were for.  In the distance, he thought he could make out a bulky mass that might be the building.  If that was what it was, then they'd be crawling in the vents for quite a while.

 

A sudden flashing light had Boil snapping his gun to point at one of the boxes above them.  "Wait," he said, and Waxer immediately froze.  He took stock of what had Boil's attention and aimed his own gun.  They waited a moment but nothing happened.

 

"Come on.  The sooner we're at the vents, the better," Waxer said.

 

Still feeling uneasy, Boil hesitated but let his gun drop back down and followed after his friend.

 

They'd only gone two dozen feet when another flashing light caught Boil's attention.  He eyed it warily but did not call attention to it.  Right now, he agreed with Waxer and just wanted to get to the vents and whatever safety they might provide.

 

The third flashing light was red instead of green, which Boil thought was an ominous sign.  He paused to aim at it, which put a little more distance between him and Waxer.

 

Like the other two, nothing happened and Boil returned his attention to the path.  He was alarmed to see just how far ahead of him Waxer was and hurried to catch up.  Just as he was nearing his friend, Boil saw a fourth flashing light.  Mostly convinced that the lights were nothing, he only noted it peripherally.

 

The sudden explosion nearly knocked Boil off his feet and off the path.  Instinctively he flung his arms up over his head to protect himself from the rocks and debris that the explosion had loosed.

 

Despite all this, Boil's attention went immediately to Waxer.  He could see that Waxer was right under the blast.  A huge rock slammed down into the path, forcing Waxer to jump back.  The path was too narrow and his foot slipped.

 

Even with rocks falling down on him, Boil leapt forward to catch his friend.  His fingers grazed the edge of Waxer's armor but he could not grab hold of him.  To his horror, Boil could only watch as Waxer fell into the void of the canyon.  There wasn't time to throw Waxer a line; there wasn't time for anything.

 

Heart frozen in his chest, Boil could only stand numbly as he watched his friend plummet to his death.

 

Except . . . suddenly Waxer wasn't falling any more.

 

Boil thought he must have gone mad as Waxer's descent slowed and then reversed.  Unable to believe what he was seeing, Boil looked around wildly for some explanation.  He found that reason at the very top of the southern canyon wall where General Kenobi stood with arms outstretched.  Two pairs of troopers were rushing up from behind to join him.  The explosion must have attracted their attention, and General Kenobi had clearly been near enough to react with his usual quick Jedi reflexes.

 

The General used the Force to gently float Waxer back up to Boil.  Reaching out, Boil caught Waxer in his arms and held on tight.  His heartbeat had started up again, and for a moment, it was all he could hear.

 

"Waxer.  Boil."  The General's steady tone brought Boil back.  It was an actual effort to make himself let go.  If the way Waxer was holding onto him was any indication, he wasn't the only one having trouble.

 

Boil kept a hold of Waxer's arm as Waxer hit the comm button.  "Yes, General."

 

"I'm glad to see you two are in one piece," General Kenobi said.

 

"Only thanks to you, sir." The tremble in Waxer's voice was likely something only Boil could pick up on, but it made Boil hold on just a little tighter.

 

"Happy to help.  We're in a bit of a spot here.  The enemy transmission is playing havoc with our bombers; we can't take the capital until it's been dismantled.  We've got no air support here."  Despite his words, General Kenobi's tone was as calm as ever.  Boil found it to be rather soothing.

 

"Yes, sir.  We didn't have any luck finding the source of the transmission," Waxer said.

 

"So Cody informs me.  But it looks like your work did some good.  Without the secondary relay to complicate our readings, we think we've finally managed to triangulate the primary transmission within two or three clicks.  It's just north of here.  Our problem is that the enemy has retreated into the bridge structure to the east and ray-shielded the entrance so we cannot get past.  This is the only bridge across the canyon for miles.  We can't afford to blow it to pieces.  We must get to the transmission before the enemy has time to regroup."

 

"There's a vent down here.  We were just trying to sneak in that way." Waxer's voice was steady now.

 

"Excellent.  We'll keep their attention occupied while you open the doors for us."

 

There was nothing Boil wanted at this moment other than to pull Waxer into another embrace and feel that he was okay.  But, their General was waiting.  Waxer looked at Boil, who nodded his head to indicate they were on the same page.

 

"Copy that, General," Waxer said.

 

Under the watchful eye of their General, they could navigate the path without fear of falling or setting off another explosion.  They raced to the vents.

 

*******

 

Everything was quiet in Boil's dreams.  Quiet and slow.  His heartbeat drummed a rhythm he felt but could not hear.  A driving pulse that set his whole body on edge, the tension had his muscles tightening in preparation to fight or flee.

 

In front of him, Waxer was fine.  He was making his way along the canyon path just as before.  Boil wanted to shout the danger.  It was a physical sensation inside him, like a wild animal desperately clawing for freedom.  But its prison was too strong.  Boil's voice remained trapped inside him, and he could not make a sound.

 

He willed Waxer to turn around.  He willed himself to reach out and wrench his friend back to safety.  He willed _anything_ to happen differently.

 

The explosion was soundless.  Boil did not even note the rocks raining down on him.  His eyes were only for Waxer.  It all happened much slower this time, as if his brain was reveling in his helplessness.  The rock that had caused Waxer to hop back seemed to float down like a Jedi was controlling its descent.

 

Boil's heart beat harder as the scene unfolded before him.  Waxer was so close.  If Boil could only grab him, it would be fine.

 

Reaching out felt like waging a war, like his muscles were actively fighting against him and it took all of him to force movement.  He could see his arm stretching forward but it was just as slow as everything else, and Waxer's foot was coming down onto an unstable path.

 

Boil's hand had just fully extended when Waxer began his fall.  It was so maddeningly close.  The memory was in his fingers as the tips brushed over Waxer's armor.  All of Boil was focused on that slender connection.  From his feet pushing him forward to his hands reaching out, Boil was trying to get that inch closer so he could actually grab his friend.

 

But Waxer was falling away before his eyes.  Waxer's momentum rotated him onto his back and he reached out for a handhold -- reached out for Boil.

 

Unable to do anything at all, Boil could only watch helplessly as his friend slipped further and further into the canyon's abyss.  Something in Boil knew that this time there was no Jedi watching over them.  There was no one to save this situation, no one to save Waxer.

 

Eyes snapping open, Boil bolted up in his bunk.  His heart was racing and he gasped for breath.  Sweat glued the fabric of his body suit uncomfortably to his body.

 

It took a few seconds for the panic to recede.  Boil looked around wildly, but the barracks were quiet with soft snores and the occasional creak as one of his brothers turned over in sleep.

 

Boil's hands were shaking as he ran his fingers through his hair, and he knew there was no way he could get back to sleep.

 

His eyes turned immediately to the bunk to his right.  Waxer was resting on his stomach, face turned away from Boil.

 

A sudden icy feeling swam into Boil's veins.  Despite all reason, he feared that Waxer wasn't breathing.

 

Boil slipped out of his bed and around the bunks so he could see Waxer's face.  It was hard to see well in the darkened room, not so that Boil's fears were allayed.  Haltingly, he extended his hand and let it hover just over Waxer's mouth and nose.  The warm feeling of Waxer's breath on his skin loosened the knot in his stomach.

 

For a moment, Boil just stood there like that.  His own breathing slowed to match each exhalation against his hand, and slowly the panic from his dream receded.

 

It slowly dawned on him how this looked.  Hand so close to Waxer's mouth, if anyone saw him, they would think he was trying to smother his friend.

 

Boil snatched his hand back and stumbled back a step.  He instantly missed the concrete proof that Waxer was alive, and he knew that this had gotten out of hand.

 

Turning on his heel, Boil made his way to the door.  He did not meet any of his brothers in the hallway outside their sleeping quarters, which he was grateful for.  He headed for the barracks exit.

 

Once he was outside, he paused and breathed deep of the cool night air.  The light from one of the searching tower lamps passed just over Boil's head and he quickly looked around.  At the far end of the compound, he could see a night patrol but they had not spotted him.

 

Boil had no desire for company or to explain himself, so he walked along the side of the portable barracks until he found several piles of crates.  Finding a gap between the crates, Boil settled against the barrack wall where he was safe from prying eyes.

 

Everything he'd been holding in collapsed in on him, and he buried his head in his hands.  He and Waxer had been in dozens of tight spots before but there was something about this close call that had shaken him.  He tried to push it aside like he did everything else, but clearly it would not just go away.

 

Behind his eyes, all he saw was Waxer falling.  It ran on a loop in his brain, tormenting him with what he'd almost lost.

 

"Boil?"

 

Head whipping up, Boil was horrified to see Waxer standing just beyond the crates, a concerned expression on his face.

 

Boil buried his head in his hands again, this time in mortification.  He let out a frustrated sound and said, "Go back to sleep, Waxer."

 

Of course Waxer didn't listen.  Boil could feel when Waxer knelt down next to him.  "What's wrong?"

 

Waxer gently tugged at Boil's arm, forcing him to look up.

 

Boil would not meet his eyes.  Instead, he leaned his head back against the barracks wall and said, "It's nothing, Waxer.  Leave it alone."

 

"I will not.  Why are you out here?  What is it?  Let me help," Waxer said.

 

Boil sighed.  He knew Waxer would not leave until he'd been given some explanation.  But, try as he might, Boil couldn't think of a thing to say that wasn't the truth.

 

He buried his head in his hands again.

 

"Hey.  It's okay," Waxer said.  Boil could feel the warmth of Waxer along his side as his friend shifted closer.  "Whatever it is.  I'm here."

 

His words made Boil inhale shakily.  Yes, Waxer was here.  But he was so close to not being here.  If the General hadn't been there, Boil would have lost the person he valued most in the galaxy.

 

Once again, Waxer tugged at Boil's arm to make him look up.  When Boil finally did, all he saw was the concern in his friend's eyes.  Boil hated to worry him.

 

"It was a bad dream."

 

"About?" Waxer asked.

 

Boil hesitated.  This really wasn't what he wanted to talk about, not when he felt as he did.  But when Waxer looked at him like that, Boil had never been able to refuse him.  "The canyon today.  Your fall.  I dreamed that the General wasn't there to save you."

 

Blinking, Waxer apparently had no idea how to respond to that.  All he could manage was, "Oh."

 

Boil let out another sigh and let his head fall back against the barracks wall again.  They sat together in silence for a long minute, and Boil let Waxer's presence beside him soothe him.  Waxer was fine.  He was here.  Their General had worked the usual Jedi miracle.

 

"It . . . It was unnerving, I won't lie," Waxer said eventually.  "There wasn't time to really panic before our General grabbed me but . . . yeah.  I was scared."

 

Boil's head whipped around to look at Waxer, who was looking away now.  But only for a moment.  When Waxer turned back, there was a vulnerable but resolute expression on his face.  Hesitantly, he said, "It didn't scare me as much as what you did in the town though."

 

Boil frowned.  "What did I do in the town?"

 

To his surprise, his question made Waxer scowl.  "You throwing yourself as bait for the sniper."

 

"Oh, that." Boil made a dismissive gesture with his hand, seeing nothing wrong with his actions.

 

Waxer clearly had a different opinion.  "Is that all you have to say?  You can't keep doing that shit, Boil.  I can't keep watching you throwing yourself in the line of fire without any thought to your own safety."

 

"Who says I wasn't thinking of my own safety?  I knew you had me covered."

 

"Barely!"  Waxer looked exasperated.  "You gave me no warning and no time to react.  That's not acceptable, Boil.  One of these days, I'm not going to be fast enough."

 

"You're always fast enough, Waxer," Boil said.  "It's okay."

 

"No, it's not." Waxer grabbed Boil's arm, his expression intense.  "It's _not_ okay.  It's reckless, and it's not like you.  I don't know why you've started doing this but it really needs to stop.  I mean it.  You can't endanger yourself like that."

 

"But you can?" Boil said before he could think better of it.  "I only started because every time we'd talk it out, somehow you'd end up as bait."

 

"Well, that's because it make sense," Waxer said.  "I'm faster than you are."

 

Boil's denial was immediate.  "You are not!  We're exactly the same.  Down to our DNA.  There's no legitimate reason you should be bait instead of me."

 

"But there's a legitimate reason it should be you?"  Waxer's tone suggested he didn't believe that for a second.

 

"Of course there is," Boil said.

 

Waxer crossed his arms in front of his chest.  "Really?  Enlighten me."

 

"If something happens to me, you'll get a new partner and I know you'll make the best of it.  But if anything ever happened to you . . ." Boil turned away and swallowed hard.  Images from his nightmare hit him again.  He curled his hand into a fist, the same hand that had been close enough to touch Waxer's armor but not able to grab him.

 

Quietly, Boil said, "I saw you fall, and there was nothing I could do.  You almost _died_ and I just stood there helplessly.  I just . . . I can't.  Waxer, I _can't_."  Boil finally turned to meet Waxer's gaze, not knowing what his own expression revealed.  "I can't sit back and watch when you're in danger.  You can't ask that of me.  I . . . I just can't."

 

Shoulders slumping, Boil felt suddenly so exhausted.  He dug the heels of his hands into his eyes as if he could rub away the image burned into his mind.

 

"Boil?"

 

Waxer's tone was gentle, his expression equally so when Boil finally looked over at him.  There was an unusual hesitance when he reached out but Waxer did not stop.  Boil closed his eyes at the light touch against his cheek.  Waxer let his fingers slide along Boil's skin until he was cupping Boil's cheek, and Boil leaned into the touch.

 

"Don't you see, Boil?" Waxer whispered.  Boil opened his eyes, finding Waxer to be very close.  "That's exactly how I feel every time you throw yourself into danger.  I can't stand to see you hurt.  I just can't."

 

Waxer's fingers flexed slightly with his words, and Boil felt the slight tremble there.  Swallowing, Boil was mesmerized by Waxer's expression.  It was a return of the vulnerable expression from earlier, but more hesitant now.  Boil felt every protective cell in his body stir.

 

Without any conscious thought on Boil's part, his hands came up to rest along Waxer's sides just under his ribcage.  He didn't know what he was telegraphing -- by his expression or his actions -- but Waxer's hand slid down his cheek to hold him firmly by the back of his neck.

 

Boil wasn't even sure what was happening, but he surrendered completely to it.  He let Waxer pull him forward.

 

It started as a soft brush of lips, a question of sorts.  Boil had an out-of-body moment where he wondered if he was still dreaming after all.  But Waxer felt warm and solid under his hands, and it finally hit Boil that he was actually kissing Waxer.

 

His reaction was fierce.  Arms finally moving, he clutched Waxer to his chest and hauled him half onto his lap.  He kissed back hard enough that Waxer made a small noise of surprise -- a laugh really -- and matched him in intensity.

 

It felt so good to hold Waxer this close and finally have all the reassurance he could want that Waxer was really truly whole and safe.  Boil was probably leaving bruises but Waxer didn't seem to mind.  Waxer's own fingers were digging into Boil's shoulders and it just made Boil hold on tighter.

 

They pulled back at the same time, but neither eased their grip in the slightest.  If anything, Boil held on a little harder.

 

Waxer rested his forehead against Boil's, and they just breathed together for a long moment.

 

Boil licked his lips.  His voice came out thick when he said, "Why haven't we been doing this all along?"

 

Waxer let out a humorless laugh.  His fingers dug a little harder into Boil's shoulders before finally relaxing.  He slid his arms around Boil's neck and buried his nose under Boil's ear.  His words were quiet.  "I didn't want to lose you."

 

Boil squeezed Waxer in reassurance before also easing his own grip.  Letting his hands rub over Waxer's back, he said, "You could never lose me, Waxer."

 

Waxer sat back enough to look Boil in the eye.  "But I could.  Today, in the town, it was too close.  I _know_ you know what I mean."

 

Boil closed his eyes, again seeing Waxer suspended over the abyss.  He forced himself to breathe deep and finish the memory -- to remember how General Kenobi had returned Waxer to him.

 

He sighed and opened his eyes.  "I know."

 

Waxer nodded slightly but didn't say anything.  Boil could feel the earlier tension from his dream finally drain completely away.  Having Waxer so near and now able to touch him as he pleased, Boil felt nothing but peace.

 

Their quiet moment was interrupted when the search light again swung over their heads.  Now it was Waxer who sighed.  "Come on.  If we're taking the capital tomorrow, we do actually need to get some sleep."

 

Boil was disappointed but he knew Waxer was right.  Their General had an ambitious strategy planned for tomorrow, and the two of them were assigned as his backup.  They would be in the thick of it, as usual.

 

Waxer got to his feet and extended a hand to help Boil up.  Boil accepted the help but didn't let go once he was standing.  Instead, he used the leverage to pull Waxer to him.  The kiss this time was tender and quiet. 

 

Boil didn't think he'd ever seen Waxer smile like he did when they finally parted.  Waxer squeezed his hand and tugged him away from the wall.  "You know," he said as they headed back to the barracks door.  "We usually get leave after a large campaign like this one.  I have some ideas for how to spend it."  He waggled his eyebrow to make his meaning clear, but there was a shadow in his eyes when he said,  "Of course, they're kind of dependent on you surviving."

 

The vulnerability was back, and Boil knew exactly what he was feeling.  Gently, he said, "That's true for you too."

 

Waxer gave a little nod of understanding.  He squeezed Boil's hand one last time before finally letting go.  Shoulder to shoulder, they walked back inside.

 

The End


End file.
